The other Angkor What

Siem Reap is a funny place. Tourists flood into this tiny city from all corners of the world, mainly to see one big colossal tourist location: the Angkor Wat. Many are drawn to the historical significance as well as the aesthetics and the UNESCO prestige. After their 1-3 day passes are up, the vast majority of the two million annual tourists all pack up their things and are out the door probably to never return again. Those few days are a magical experience to the tourists, seeing beautiful old temples, witnessing exotic Buddhist monks, discovering amazing Cambodian food, meeting hospitable Khmer people, and last but not least partying at Pub Street.

Pub street didn’t really actually exist until the last decade or so. The number of expat bars and restaurants in that area concomitantly sprang up as the number of tourists increase over the years. The booze is cheap: a draft beer starts anywhere from about $0.50 and cocktails average about $2-3. Food is aplenty from authentic Khmer fish amok to pizza parlors. And most of all, what more than you need after a long hard day of walking around the temples and in the heart of exotic Southeast Asia than a little letting loose?

I have heard many stories about the clubbing scene here but I just had to witness it once myself. Out we went to the one and only, Angkor What? Notice that the “Wat” is changed to “What”, giving it a cheesy and lovable name by all who come in through their doors. I swear this club must make a fortune. All you party-goers know that it’s against the rules to go clubbing on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday. Oh, but not in Siem Reap where all the tourists are on vacation so days of the week are out the door. So is the clock since everyone is jetlagged anyway. Throw in the fact that there is a 99% chance that you will never see anyone in that club again and the fact that you’re in a foreign country. Security is minimal. No drinking age.  The result is worse than you can ever imagine at a NY club or frat party. You will see girls stripping, boys hunting for girls, shots gulped down like water, and mayhem all over.

In all honesty though, it’s quite amusing when you’re the spectator :)